Keeping Good Friends in Islam

 The relationship kept with friends is stressed very highly in our religion.

 Not only is it encouraged, but the importance of having good friends and surrounding yourself with good company is relayed to Muslims many a time.

If he (the student of knowledge) is offered the friendship of one who will waste his time with him, will not benefit him, will not benefit from him, and will not assist him in reaching his objective, then he should politely end the relationship from the start before it progresses to something deeper, as when something becomes established, it becomes more difficult to change it.

There is a phrase that is constantly on the tongues of the scholars: ‘Repelling something is easier than removing it.’

[Tadhkirat as-Sāmi' wal-Mutakallim', pg. 83]

Allah says about Qiyamah,

Az-Zukhruf 43:67

Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except for the righteous. 

Meaning, every friendship that exists for a purpose other than for the sake of Allahﷻ will turn to enmity on the Day of Resurrection, except for that which is for the sake of Allah ﷻ, which will last forever.

• “Narrated AbuHurayrah:

The Prophet ( ﷺ ) said: A man follows the religion of his friend; so each one should consider whom he makes his friend.” 

(Abu Dawud)

• “And (as for) the believing men and the believing women, they are guardians of each other; they enjoin good and forbid evil and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, and obey Allah and His Messenger; (as for) these, Allah will show mercy to them; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.” (9:71)

• The good friends you keep will intercede for you in the day of Qiyamah. 

Isn't this reason enough to surround yourself with the good company, company of the righteous?

Those who don't, will regret and cry out. 

"And nobody has misguided us except the criminals, now we have no intercessors, Nor a close friend." 

[26:99-101]

• Another cry of regret from these people is mentioned in Surah Furqan,

Al-Furqan 25:27-29

And the Day the wrongdoer will bite on his hands [in regret] he will say, "Oh, I wish I had taken with the Messenger a way.
Oh, woe to me! I wish I had not taken that one as a friend.
He led me away from the remembrance after it had come to me. And ever is Satan, to man, a deserter."

Always keep in mind that friendship is not only a social construct but a religiously significant relationship.